distorted graphics in game and on desktop

byndthegrv · 07-03-2009, 03:50 PM

Hello there,

So I'll be playing games for a couple of minutes and then all of a sudden the graphics will go berserk. Textures will be stretched, colors distorted, and the sound becomes distorted as well. So after that happens it kicks me to the desktop and even the desktop now has all the colors distorted and the sound is still messed up. I thought that maybe it was my old graphics card (Radeon 9600) that had a problem, so I recently bought a new graphics card (Radeon x1650 pro) and it began to have the same problem. So then it lead me to believe maybe it was a overheating problem and recently bought a Zalman fan for my x1650 and the problem still happens. I just don't know what is the problem. Is it my mobo, my ram, psu, cpu, I just can't tell.

Here are my specs:
CPU: AMD Athalon 3200+
RAM: 1024 mb ram
MOBO: Gigabyte G-K8NS Pro
Graphics Card: ATi Radeon x1650 pro
PSU: Coolmax 550 watt

Thanks for reading.

I'll try to get a picture or a video of what it looks like.

Edit: Just a side question, my room temp is generally around 87-98° F, can that be the cause of the problem?

**wrench97** · 07-04-2009, 04:06 AM

What are you seeing for CPU and GPU temps and voltages on the 12v, 3.3v, 5v readings?
If you don't have a program to read them give Sensor View a try> http://www.stvsoft.com/index.php?opt...d=17&Itemid=33

byndthegrv · 07-04-2009, 09:40 AM

Thanks for the program suggestion, I like it a lot.

The cpu temp is 47°C and my graphics card doesn't support temp monitoring.

The voltages:
12v: 12.00
3.3v: 3.25
5v: 3.71

**wrench97** · 07-04-2009, 10:09 AM

Enter the Bios setup and look for a PC health page to check the 5v reading it should be 5v +/- 5%.
Give GPUz a try for the GPU temp> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads...-Z_v0.2.8.html

byndthegrv · 07-04-2009, 01:27 PM

GPUz still won't show the temperature, it's missing the temp section in the sensor tab for some reason. Just checked the bios pc health status and it didn't show 5v, I only saw 3.3v and 12v

**wrench97** · 07-04-2009, 02:59 PM

A lot of the early ATI cards don't have sensors but it was worth a try.
Since it happened with 2 different cards no sense folowing that path any farther.
Since the MB does not report 3.3v that would explain the earlier reading, there's no sensor for it.
Lets try running memtest+ for at least 6 passes or unless if fails earlier it will take some time.> it's a bootable ISO file burn it to a cd and boot from it or use the Zip drfive version and boot from it.> http://www.memtest.org/#downiso

byndthegrv · 07-09-2009, 05:13 PM

sorry for the late reply, been busy with the family coming over for vacation. I just upgraded my computer recently as well and haven't checked the old ram with memtest86. Although thanks for the help, really appreciated.

07-03-2009, 03:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
byndthegrv Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 12 OS: windows xp	distorted graphics in game and on desktop Hello there, So I'll be playing games for a couple of minutes and then all of a sudden the graphics will go berserk. Textures will be stretched, colors distorted, and the sound becomes distorted as well. So after that happens it kicks me to the desktop and even the desktop now has all the colors distorted and the sound is still messed up. I thought that maybe it was my old graphics card (Radeon 9600) that had a problem, so I recently bought a new graphics card (Radeon x1650 pro) and it began to have the same problem. So then it lead me to believe maybe it was a overheating problem and recently bought a Zalman fan for my x1650 and the problem still happens. I just don't know what is the problem. Is it my mobo, my ram, psu, cpu, I just can't tell. Here are my specs: CPU: AMD Athalon 3200+ RAM: 1024 mb ram MOBO: Gigabyte G-K8NS Pro Graphics Card: ATi Radeon x1650 pro PSU: Coolmax 550 watt Thanks for reading. I'll try to get a picture or a video of what it looks like. Edit: Just a side question, my room temp is generally around 87-98° F, can that be the cause of the problem? Last edited by byndthegrv; 07-03-2009 at 04:02 PM.

07-04-2009, 04:06 AM	#2 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,300 OS: Win7	Re: distorted graphics in game and on desktop What are you seeing for CPU and GPU temps and voltages on the 12v, 3.3v, 5v readings? If you don't have a program to read them give Sensor View a try> http://www.stvsoft.com/index.php?opt...d=17&Itemid=33 __________________ Power Supply and Selection

07-04-2009, 09:40 AM	#3 (permalink)
byndthegrv Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 12 OS: windows xp	Re: distorted graphics in game and on desktop Thanks for the program suggestion, I like it a lot. The cpu temp is 47°C and my graphics card doesn't support temp monitoring. The voltages: 12v: 12.00 3.3v: 3.25 5v: 3.71

07-04-2009, 10:09 AM	#4 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,300 OS: Win7	Re: distorted graphics in game and on desktop Enter the Bios setup and look for a PC health page to check the 5v reading it should be 5v +/- 5%. Give GPUz a try for the GPU temp> http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads...-Z_v0.2.8.html __________________ Power Supply and Selection

07-04-2009, 01:27 PM	#5 (permalink)
byndthegrv Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 12 OS: windows xp	Re: distorted graphics in game and on desktop GPUz still won't show the temperature, it's missing the temp section in the sensor tab for some reason. Just checked the bios pc health status and it didn't show 5v, I only saw 3.3v and 12v

07-04-2009, 02:59 PM	#6 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,300 OS: Win7	Re: distorted graphics in game and on desktop A lot of the early ATI cards don't have sensors but it was worth a try. Since it happened with 2 different cards no sense folowing that path any farther. Since the MB does not report 3.3v that would explain the earlier reading, there's no sensor for it. Lets try running memtest+ for at least 6 passes or unless if fails earlier it will take some time.> it's a bootable ISO file burn it to a cd and boot from it or use the Zip drfive version and boot from it.> http://www.memtest.org/#downiso __________________ Power Supply and Selection

07-09-2009, 05:13 PM	#7 (permalink)
byndthegrv Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 12 OS: windows xp	Re: distorted graphics in game and on desktop sorry for the late reply, been busy with the family coming over for vacation. I just upgraded my computer recently as well and haven't checked the old ram with memtest86. Although thanks for the help, really appreciated.